Change on the Horizon
by Bemused Writer
Summary: Vanitas and Noé share a conversation on their hotel's rooftop shortly after moving in. A series of short stories for VaNoé Week 2018.
1. Living Together

Living Together

Living with Vanitas turned out to be simpler than Noé had anticipated. Considering how easily the man's moods changed he had thought they might argue. Instead, Vanitas was rarely to be seen in their shared space.

Noé shifted slightly in bed attempting to find that perfectly comfortable spot all people longed for.

"Are you still asleep?" a teasing voice asked. Noé reluctantly opened his eyes and took his surroundings in.

Thankfully he hadn't fallen out of bed this night. Noé didn't find the floor particularly uncomfortable but he really would prefer the warmth of his blankets.

It took awhile but he finally oriented himself well enough to figure out where Vanitas's voice was coming from. As it turned out it was coming from outside the window.

"Why are you out there?" Noé asked in bemusement.

Vanitas flashed him his trademark smirk. "I like the view. Are you coming? Breakfast was ready hours ago."

"Hours?" Noé hastily got out of bed and followed Vanitas who had popped back out of view up onto the roof. He spared a moment to wonder if it was really safe for a human to be traversing such a steeply inclined structure but recalled only a week ago Vanitas had climbed an _airship_ and flung himself through an unopened window. A rooftop was fairly mundane in comparison.

When he sat himself down next to Vanitas he once again asked, "What do you mean breakfast was ready hours ago?" He looked out at the expanse of homes before him covered yet in shadow. The sun was just barely beginning to make its way above the horizon.

"I mean just that! I've had this little breakfast of ours ready hours ago."

Noé frowned as he took in Vanitas's complexion. "You got breakfast at this hour?"

Vanitas hummed softly. "I wanted to. The kitchen downstairs is quite lenient. I'm sure Amelia will bring our real breakfast up later as well."

Mulling this over Noé proceeded to reach for the rolls Vanitas had brought up. They still felt a little warm. He wanted to ask why he had been waiting up on the rooftop and why he'd gotten them _both_ breakfast at such a ludicrous hour but seeing the strange emptiness in Vanitas's eyes as he watched the rising sun stalled him. He barely knew the man. Most likely he was just a night owl. Noé tried to ignore the twinge of disappointment at his own assessment. Somehow, he knew that wasn't quite right.

"These are quite good," he said instead. A strange smile flitted briefly on Vanitas's lips.

"Do you think so?"

"I do."

"Good."

The conversation lulled for a while after that. Noé continued to eat his roll and Vanitas continued to look outwards in silence, offering nothing of his thoughts.

 _Is this how it's always going to be?_ Noé wondered idly. While he had expected difficulty in sharing a hotel room he hadn't thought it would be from lack of conversation. Vanitas was normally very talkative. Noé was forced to admit that as frustrating as Vanitas could be he found himself growing curious about what made him tick. But right now nothing was being revealed.

"Do you often have trouble sleeping, Noé?" Vanitas finally asked.

Noé blinked in surprise. Out of all the things they were going to be talking about he hadn't expected this.

"Yes, I suppose that's true. Have I been keeping you up?" he asked worriedly. He couldn't recall seeing Vanitas spend any real amount of time in their shared quarters.

"No, that hasn't kept me up." It implied something else did but once again Noé let it go. Someday he would get answers but he suspected today wasn't a good day to try his luck.

Vanitas nodded distractedly. "As a doctor I can help you with that." Noé thought Vanitas's doctor title was dubious at best but nodded obediently.

"What would you suggest?"

Vanitas finally looked over at him. "Tea. And exercise."

Noé laughed openly at that. "Exercise? I feel like I get plenty of that already."

"And you'll be getting plenty more as my assistant," Vanitas smirked. "You'll be better in no time."

"You're the one assisting me," Noé corrected automatically. "You're my partner."

"If you insist," Vanitas replied magnanimously. The glint in his eye was far too mischievous for Noé to take him seriously but it wasn't something he was overly concerned with.

"I'm not sure I like tea though," Noé admitted.

"Truly?"

"I only like it when there's honey."

This time it was Vanitas who let out a chuckle. "I should have known. Well, I'll just make sure you get some of that, too."

"Maybe you're not a terrible doctor."

"Maybe? You wound me, my dear Noé."

The silence that followed was a comfortable one. Noé felt the wind gently tug at his hair and thought he could detect the scent of change being carried with it. He couldn't wait to see what it brought.

Notes:

Hello, all! As you can see this is a series for VaNoé Week 2018, so all chapters are following the prompts set out on Tumblr although at times they probably qualify as being "loosely inspired by" the prompts on Tumblr. I hope you all enjoy. I have this story rated G at the moment and it's likely to stay that way. If the rating goes up it would only be to T. Let me know if you have any questions or if you notice anything horribly amiss in the editing. Thanks!


	2. Wearing Each Other's Clothes

**Summary:**

A malnomen attack leads to a curious conclusion.

" _Noé!"_ Vanitas cried as he was flung through the air and, incidentally, into a pig pen. He landed with a loud squelching sound followed by squeals of alarm from the pigs in question.

Unfortunately for Vanitas, Noé already had his hands full dodging the malnomen's wide swings.

"One moment, please," he called toward the pig pen as he flipped out of the way of yet another disturbingly long arm. He didn't miss the glare that was shot in his direction as Vanitas slowly sat back up. He couldn't help an amused grin in response.

It had all started out as a normal enough case.

Only a day earlier Dante had visited them in the dead of night with new intel. Apparently, a curse bearer had been spotted in a village on the outskirts of Paris. Vanitas had jumped on the case immediately followed by an enthusiastic Noé. Dante accompanied them as both a guide and witness. Noé had to admit he didn't fully understand what Dante's role was exactly or why he was coming with especially when the second battle began he gave them a short wave and slipped into the nearest tavern.

When Noé was forced to dodge yet another attack he began to wonder if perhaps they were in over their head.

"Hold it still, somehow!" Vanitas yelled in frustration. He was standing now though he hadn't left the pen yet. The pigs had surrounded him and were snorting curiously.

"And how am I to do that?" Noé called back in exasperation.

"Shoo!" Vanitas hissed at the encroaching pigs, paying Noé no mind. It had no effect. He fumbled with the book, quietly cursing as his gloves smeared even more mud on it. He wondered if it were even possible to get clean after all this. Finally, he tore them off in frustration and the book obediently opened itself.

This time Noé wasn't quite fast enough to dodge and was forced to block. The force of the blow sent him tumbling through the town square. People were beginning to peek from behind their windows worriedly. Vanitas was just glad most of them were still asleep.

"Oh, never mind all that then. Just get me within range!" Vanitas climbed over the fence, steadfastly ignoring how a few of the pigs tried to follow along, and dashed toward Noé. He just barely managed to reach Noé's side when the malnomen, apparently tiring of the fight, came barreling toward them at high speed.

Wasting no time on a reply Noé grabbed Vanitas about the waist and leapt into the air. When they landed it was directly atop the malnomen.

"I don't believe we can get any closer than this," Noé said.

Vanitas bit back a retort and instead focused on the malnomen's formula. The regular world faded away, replaced by a realm of symbols. A girl was at the center looking very much alone. Within moments a name came to him.

"Étiennette," he said softly, "'one who surrounds.' It suits you well."

And with a flash of light it was over. The vampire, who went by Babette, was grateful and clasped Noé's hands in gratitude. Vanitas carefully kept his own uncovered hands firmly in his pockets and allowed Noé to fumble through the social interaction.

Noé ended up escorting Babette back to her home. Vanitas trailed behind them at a distance. As they continued on an arm suddenly found its way around his shoulder.

"That sure was something, wasn't it, Quack?"

Vanitas arched a brow at him. "You've reappeared, I see. Rather convenient timing, Baldy."

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that?" Dante exclaimed as he removed his arm.

Noé looked back at the commotion and gave a hesitant wave to Dante before his attention was taken up by Babette again.

"She seems nice," Dante said.

"I don't care either way. I'm just here to 'save' vampires."

"Right."

The rest of the short journey was in silence. Babette extended her thanks one more time before returning to the welcoming warmth of her home. Noé let out a sigh of relief. Seeing a vampire safe and sound from curses and danger always filled him with a sense of peace he was hard-pressed to locate anywhere else.

When he turned away he was finally able to take the time to take Vanitas's appearance in.

Noé was quite certain he had never seen Vanitas look anything other than immaculate. Seeing him caked in dirt and grime was bizarre. It made the strange blue of his eyes stand out even more in the moonlight. Dante was standing next to him looking decidedly more put together.

"The two of you make quite a picture," he said with an easy grin.

Noé looked down at his own clothes. They were far better off than Vanitas's but some of the mud had transferred over when he'd picked him up.

"There isn't much to be done about it until we return to Paris," Noé finally said.

"You might want to return before the sun comes back up and people, you know, see you."

"Who was it who did absolutely nothing useful today again?" Vanitas ground out as they set out. They were unlikely to get anyone to agree to transport them back in this state.

"Ha! You think you can insult me, Quack, but I am immune to such things. As for me, I'm going to pop in here real quick." He gestured toward the tavern he'd been eyeing from before.

Vanitas let out a huff of annoyance. "Do what you want."

Noé hastened his step to catch up with Vanitas who clearly wanted to depart as quickly as possible. Dante waived at them before stepping back in. Noé wondered if it was really okay to make their departure so suddenly.

"That man is absolutely impossible," Vanitas mumbled. "He's lucky he provides decent information." He idly yanked at some mud stuck in the strands of his hair.

The movement caused the moonlight to play against the mark embedded in his skin. Noé couldn't help the way he flinched at the sight.

"What happened to your gloves?"

"Hmm?" Vanitas glanced at him curiously before his eyes widened in realization.

"Oh." He stuffed both of his hands back in his pockets. "It's nothing. They were covered in filth and I needed to hold the book." He said it casually as though he went without gloves all the time. Noé had been around Vanitas long enough to know that wasn't the case.

"Hold still for a moment, please," Noé said as he began to remove his own gloves. Vanitas gave him yet another puzzled look before shrugging in acquiescence. It wasn't a blue moon but the light shining from it was still bright enough to give a faintly ethereal quality to his features in spite of the mud.

He proffered the gloves, a silent kindness. Vanitas smiled ruefully. "Is the sight so terrible?"

"No." Noé paused, trying to think of the best way to explain. "I know you never go anywhere without them. I don't need my own right now; it's not very cold."

Vanitas hesitated but slowly took his hands out of his pockets a reached out. Noé obliged by helping him slip them on. Noé made a mental note that Vanitas's hands were, in fact, freezing. Vanitas locked eyes with him and even after both gloves were on Noé found himself mysteriously reluctant to let go of his hands. Perhaps he was concerned over the chill in his skin.

"Oh, uh, maybe I'll just leave the two of you to it then?" Dante's voice was a like stone breaking through a window.

"Wha—when did you get here?" Vanitas shrieked, backing away from Noé hastily. Noé merely covered his ears.

"I didn't say I was staying here, Quack. I just wanted to get another helping of their spiced potatoes."

Vanitas sputtered furiously, Dante smirked knowingly, and Noé let out a laugh.

"Shall we all return together then? Daylight is quickly approaching."

Vanitas shot him a betrayed look but Dante agreed before any protest could be made.

Noé tuned out the following argument as they all walked back and he took in the sights. It really was a beautiful night and they'd managed to do some real good. Then he spotted a flower on the wayside that he'd never seen before and all thoughts of practicality and returning to Paris left him.

"No, do not get distracted, Noé! We need to get back. Dante, don't let him out of your sight!"

"But I've never seen a flower like this before! What do you think it could be?"

"We're leaving!"

Dante's laughter echoed into the night as Vanitas tugged Noé away and the three continued on into the darkness.


	3. Face Holding

Summary: Vanitas and Noé take a surprisingly peaceful stroll through the park.

It was a Wednesday. Things like that had never mattered to Noé when he lived in the forest all alone save for the occasional visit from Teacher or Dominique but he found that being in the city meant that suddenly what day it was meant a great deal. He had learned this the hard way when he had suggested they walk around the park on a Saturday.

"Oh, Noé," Vanitas had sighed pityingly. "You can't do anything without crowds on a Saturday."

"Then what about Sunday?"

Vanitas had shaken his head.

"Monday?"

"Absolutely not."

"Then when?" Noé had huffed.

Vanitas considered it thoughtfully. "A Wednesday is probably safe."

"I really don't get you city folk," Noé had bemoaned.

But it was Wednesday at last and Noé was determined to make the most of it. Vanitas and he had been living together for a few months now and Noé wanted a proper look at France. He and Vanitas had been so caught up with unexpectedly dangerous balls and even more dangerous catacombs that Noé hadn't had any time to appreciate the little things.

It was with that conviction that Noé started the day. He sat up straight out of bed prepared to look for Vanitas but, as it turned out, he was already lounging in his own bed across the small room saving Noé the trouble. Noé smiled at that. Not too long ago Vanitas would never have allowed himself the luxury of a soft bed but for whatever reason he seemed to have changed his mind.

In Noé's estimation it made their living arrangement decidedly more comfortable. Noé had never enjoyed solitude. When Teacher had asked him to leave for Paris he had been all too eager. The forest held too many memories and he had already explored every nook and cranny.

"You know, it didn't bother me before but your things are taking over this room," Vanitas remarked suddenly. Noé blinked, suddenly self-conscious. How long had he been staring?

"You used to never use your bed so I might have gotten used to placing things there."

"Indeed? Such as this, perhaps?" Vanitas lazily held up a pair of gloves he'd removed from under his pillow.

"Oh, I'd wondered where those had gone!" Noé exclaimed. Vanitas tossed them over. Noé was about to thank him when he had a thought. "Wait, surely those were the ones I loaned you a few weeks ago?"

"And what about this?" Vanitas leaned over the edge of his bed and dragged a scarf from underneath it, completely ignoring the accusation. It was a large knitted scarf.

"I might have really misplaced that one," Noé said reluctantly.

Vanitas studied the scarf closely, moving a thumb over it gently.

"Do you think you'll be using it anytime soon?"

"Probably not. Domi gave me that mink scarf as a gift a few years back, so I usually pick that one. She says it goes well with my coat."

"I suppose I can't disagree with that," Vanitas said reluctantly, not quite tearing his eyes away from the scarf currently in his hands.

"Are you fond of that one? I don't mind you having it."

"In that case, I think I would. For when winter comes."

"Of course, Vanitas." Noé fidgeted slightly. "Was that it?" He remembered when Louis and Dominique had helped him clean his room as a child; it had been far more involved than this.

"For the most part. Why is there fur on my top cover?"

"Murr might have gotten used to having your bed as his own…."

"I knew it," Vanitas muttered. Murr let out a loud meow that could only be described as disgruntled from where he was curled in the chair by Noé's bed.

"He's staying here now though. And sometimes the desk."

"Delightful," Vanitas sighed. He then propped himself up on one arm.

"So, I believe I promised to take you around the park today, didn't I?"

"Yes!" Noé exclaimed. He'd become so distracted by the surprisingly easygoing conversation that he'd all but forgotten his primary goal for the day.

Vanitas chuckled. "You're taking such a different approach than—well, never mind that. I'll wait for you to get dressed and then we can head out."

Noé had a sneaking suspicion he knew who he'd nearly been compared to. As he got out of bed and went about his morning routine he wondered if he could ask about Jeanne. He still didn't fully understand what she and Vanitas shared. Vanitas claimed it was "love" but his description of it and his methods of pursuing it left Noé uncomfortable. He couldn't help but think if he loved someone he would go about it differently.

Noé was in the process of combing his hair when Vanitas leaned against the bathroom door frame. "Are you nearly finished?"

"Yes, just about." He did a few finishing touches, made sure he had Murr in tow, and then followed Vanitas out the door.

It was a cool spring day. Judging by the puddles and the gleaming cobblestone Noé felt it was safe to say it had been raining previously. It left the air with a brisk, clean atmosphere and the sun was shining giving everything a faint golden hue.

Noé closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Murr gave a little sniff of his own. Even though he was in the city this was one thing that remained the same as the country. The scents were a little different but there was a pureness to a proper spring day that was true everywhere.

When he opened his eyes he noticed Vanitas was studying him with a curious expression. Noé couldn't quite place what it was. It reminded him a little bit of when he'd told Vanitas he was staying with him not too long ago. It was a fragile smile paired with uncertain eyes. Not for the first time Noé wondered if Vanitas considered himself unworthy of anything joyous or good in this world.

Noé opened his mouth about to ask something—he wasn't yet sure what—but Vanitas distracted him by grasping his hand. They were both wearing gloves but it was an unusually friendly gesture coming from Vanitas.

"You always get distracted," Vanitas said by way of explanation. He avoided Noé's eyes. "This way you won't wander off."

"I don't wander off," Noé frowned. Vanitas's scent was stronger when he was this close but thankfully it wasn't setting off any of the ravenous sensations he'd been inflicted with that one night. Even so, it was a smidgen distracting.

"You absolutely do," Vanitas said irritably. "But at any rate, surely this is better than a collar."

"Domi can be a little eccentric sometimes," Noé admitted easily.

Vanitas let out a huff of amusement. "I really don't understand vampiric friendships. But regardless, I was thinking we could go to Parc des Buttes Chaumont. I think you'll enjoy the Temple de la Sibylle."

"That sounds wonderful," Noé agreed. He'd never heard of the place but that's why he was doing this: to get to know Paris better.

They walked together, hand in hand, and Noé was forced to admit that if Vanitas hadn't taken the precaution he may have been a tad … distracted by some of the sights. As it was, Vanitas still had to drag him away from several shops, a street performer, and an outdoor musical performance.

"My, but you give me a lot of exercise," Vanitas said, squeezing his hand indignantly. "At this rate we're never going to get there!"

Noé hung his head sheepishly. Murr glared at Vanitas from where he was perched on Noé's shoulder. It was hard to tell if it was a meaningful glare or simply his regular glare.

"Well, somehow we managed to keep your adventures going in the right direction at least. We're nearly there."

Excitement filled Noé's heart once more at the prospect and they continued their journey at a brisk pace.

Noé's eyes got bigger and bigger as the park approached. Vanitas stifled a laugh at the expression.

"We're here," he said. "Welcome to Parc des Buttes Chaumont."

Noé gaped helplessly. It was a stunning sight. The ground sloped gently and paths winded throughout. There was a large pond where an outcropping of stone reached for the heavens. There were several trees and flowerbeds. Despite Vanitas saying Wednesday was good for crowds Noé found himself thinking the park was still extremely crowded. He didn't mind but he had to admit it was a little overwhelming.

Seeming to sense his uncertainty Vanitas drew closer to him and wound their arms tighter together.

"Let's take a look at some of the flower gardens," he said lightly. "Then we can make our way up." They walked around and slowly Noé grew more comfortable. The scent of roses and daffodils filled the air intermixed with the subtle scent of Vanitas's blood. It was a strangely soothing combination.

When Noé tugged at his arm to go investigate the pond Vanitas merely obliged silently. Noé crouched to get a better look at the ducks. This proved to be a poor decision as Murr leapt off his shoulder and proceeded to hiss at all of them. Noé hastily picked him back up and went in the opposite direction while Vanitas let out a burst of laughter. All in all, they spent the better part of an hour exploring everything the park had to offer.

"All right, now let's take a look at the Temple de la Sibylle," Vanitas said with only a touch of exasperation.

"The gazebo up there?" Noé asked.

"Yes. I think after that we'll head back to Hotel Chouchou."

The path up to the structure was steep and Noé idly thought it would be faster if he carried them to the top but he found he had no desire to speed up their visit.

Noé valiantly resisted the urge to stop them every couple seconds to investigate other paths. He could tell by the way Vanitas held his hand in an iron grip that he'd had more than enough side trips.

"And here we are."

Noé rushed to look over the edge and this time Vanitas let him go to investigate to his heart's content. It was a rather small gazebo—Noé wondered if that was why he'd suddenly been given free reign—just large enough to hold about two to four people. The details were incredible but the truly magnificent sight was Paris stretched out before them.

Murr leapt off his shoulder to traverse the edge and Vanitas strolled over to stand at his side.

"It's amazing," Noé breathed.

Vanitas didn't say anything but he could tell Vanitas was content in the relaxed way he stood.

A burst of wind carried pollen, petals, and leaves through the air. Murr let out a sneeze and Noé gave him a sympathetic pat. Vanitas brushed at his own hair irritably.

"You missed some," Noé said, indicating the left side of his bangs. Vanitas batted at it once more.

"No, you still haven't gotten it…" Noé carefully pulled the small petals free, brushing the side of Vanitas's face in the process. Noé paused. Vanitas was giving him a strange look again and Noé wasn't sure what it meant this time. They stayed that way for a little while, Noé twisting at Vanitas's bangs uncomfortably and Vanitas giving nothing away whatsoever. Murr was a silent companion, judging them both meticulously.

"We'd best be getting back now," Vanitas finally said.

"I suppose you're right." Noé drew away. He could hear footsteps beginning to encroach on their space. Whoever it was was still far away and he doubted Vanitas could hear it.

"Paris really is amazing," Noé sighed. "Who would have known it would have something like this amidst all these buildings?"

Vanitas chuckled softly. "You only say that because you've been a country bumpkin all this time."

"I have not!"

"Come on, take my hand. I'm not losing you after we went to all this trouble."

"I probably won't get distracted if we take the same route."

"This is Paris, Noé," Vanitas said in exasperation. "There's always going to be something you want to look at."

They left just as a group of people finally made it to the top. Noé was pleased to hear them exclaim in wonder much as he had. Perhaps country folk and city folk weren't always that different.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** So this is a real park in Paris. I've never been there, so I hope you can forgive any small inaccuracies. Also, we're now pretty much ahead of where the chapters are at present as far as what's being referenced, so their interactions from here onward will be speculation on how things might turn out. Also, there wasn't any proper "face holding" like the prompt said but we came close! I hope you all enjoyed.


	4. Flower Crowns

Summary: Dominique considers the developing relationship between Vanitas and Noé and how it relates to the past.

"Now you need to twist the wire like this," Dominique instructed as she deftly handled flowers and twine.

It was a sunny day and the three children were gathered outside her grandfather's estate. Dominique had been permitted to visit Noé and Louis for the weekend. She marveled at how much freer she felt around them as opposed to being constantly compared to-and bullied by-Veronica back home.

She moved closer to Noé so he could get a better look at her technique and blushed when his eyes met her own briefly. They were a gentle violet much like the flowers he was trying to fit into the crown. She wished her parents allowed her to visit more so that she might look at them more often. Noé was always so honest and kind. He was the complete opposite of all the people she was surrounded by at home.

"I'm not sure I'm doing it right, Domi," Noé admitted.

"You're not," Louis said from where he was lounging under a nearby tree.

"Don't listen to him." Dominique frowned at her brother. He loved to tease Noé and while she knew Noé didn't mind it bothered her. Despite that she knew there was an ease in their conversation that only came with spending a great deal of time together.

"You've made flower crowns before?" Noé looked impressed.

Louis buried his face back in his book, mumbling something incoherent.

"I'll make one for all of us," Noé decided, seeming to take Louis's embarrassment in stride.

"You haven't even finished your own," Louis said, face still hidden behind his book. Dominique seriously doubted he was reading it.

"I'll finish it."

Louis didn't reply but he did finally set the book down in favor of whittling a piece of wood. Dominique didn't miss the odd shadow that passed over Noé's face when he saw it.

Once Noé had returned to carefully intertwining flowers together Louis glanced over. There was a crinkle on his brow and worry in his eyes and it was meaningful in a way Dominique didn't want to contemplate. He methodically cut the wood and never once took his eyes off of Noé. When Noé finally raised the crown in triumph Dominique clapped and praised Noé's accomplishment. Louis smiled softly from where he sat under the tree. The wind blew gently; concerns and curiosities were swept away.

Several years later Dominique found herself making flower crowns with Noé once more. Time had changed a great deal. They were in Paris for one and Louis wasn't around anymore. Even so, she saw a similarly meaningful look sent Noé's way.

This time it was from someone she was far less fond of.

"You need to twist it like this," Noé said to an irritated Vanitas.

"Why are we doing this?"

"Because it's enjoyable and it's something Domi and I used to do together."

Dominique didn't point out that she had suggested this little outing in the hope she and Noé could spend some time together. Vanitas had most certainly not been invited. Not pointing this out was rather diplomatic on her part she supposed but Vanitas seemed to notice her grimace and smirked anyway. She let out a wry grin of her own and wondered, not for the first time, just what Noé saw in this man.

"Well, I suppose I can't refuse partaking in such a quaint custom then, can I?"

Noé seemed to finally pick up on his less than savory attitude and let out a frustrated sigh.

"Can't you just accept Domi as my friend? Why is this so hard for you to do?"

"Oh, Vanitas is just that kind of person, _mon cheri_. I wouldn't let it trouble you."

Vanitas's eyebrow twitched subtly. She felt more delight than perhaps she should to see that smarmy attitude of his put in check.

"Well?" Noé demanded.

"I … apologize, Lady Dominique," Vanitas finally bit out and returned to fastidiously watching Noé demonstrate the art of flower crowns.

Vanitas didn't sit away from Noé like Louis had. In fact, he didn't seem concerned with personal space whatsoever with how he leaned against Noé's shoulder and eyed the crown critically. She rather wished he would learn to keep his distance for Jeanne's sake more than Noé's.

Still, she wondered if his relaxed attitude was an act or if it was real. Louis had never feigned such an attitude. Maybe Vanitas could manage it because he didn't have a death sentence hanging over him like her brother had. It seemed at odds with his personality but Dominique could admit she didn't know him that well. Still, she'd listened to many, _many_ retellings of Vanitas's deeds, good and ill, at length from Noé whenever they got together.

Noé seemed satisfied with Vanitas's apology and offered Dominique an apologetic shrug of his own. She said nothing and returned to her own flower crown.

She tried to ignore the worry tugging at the back of her mind. As much as she hated to admit it, there was a part of her that suspected she _did_ know what Noé saw in Vanitas. The haughty nature and duplicitous personality with an undercurrent of something _deeper_ , something unknown were very similar to how Louis had been, especially before ….

She just hoped that whatever was hidden away wouldn't hurt Noé. She feared that some unconscious part of Noé was trying to atone for what happened to Louis by helping another troubled soul. She only hoped that this arrogant man could learn to care for Noé the way she did and wouldn't cause him even more pain.

Vanitas wasn't a caring sort of person but he did seem to have some kind of attachment to Noé. A strange, sudden attachment from what Noé had said but it would have to be enough.

Dominique would make sure it was.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** It's well past VaNoe Week now but I'm going to complete those prompts! I hope you all enjoyed Dominique's musings on these two. It's a bit of a different tone from the last three chapters but when I saw the prompt was "flower crowns" she immediately came to mind.


	5. Coffee Shop Date

Summary: Noé tries to organize his thoughts after Vanitas sustains a significant injury.

Noé sat at the desk in his and Vanitas's shared room, staring at the blank page set before him. He felt strangely distant and had felt that way for a month now. A listlessness he wasn't used to had become a constant companion.

The blank page stared back.

His mind wandered back to the last time he'd seen Dominique. She'd presented herself somewhat boyishly in look and manner as had become her wont since Louis had passed but the twinkle in her eye and her kindness were just the same as they'd been in their childhood. The familiarity comforted him and he found he wished she were here now. Perhaps he would send her a letter.

He had been pacing earlier in silence that day and Vanitas, growing tired of it, had told him to try writing his thoughts down if they were bothering him so much. Noé had readily complied. He'd hoped that maybe the advice would prove sound. So far it hadn't gotten him any further in untangling his thoughts than pacing had.

The only thing that was currently providing any sense of solace was that he wasn't alone. Vanitas was there. And yet Vanitas's presence was also the source of his agitation in a roundabout way.

The man in question was currently sharpening his daggers from where he sat on his bed.

 _He shouldn't be doing anything right now,_ Noé thought for the umpteenth time. A flash of guilt hit him. He tried to focus on the paper once more.

Murr was sitting primly next to Vanitas, glaring daggers at Noé's back. Noé couldn't see it but he could feel it. Vanitas had attempted to pat Murr's head earlier but had quickly given up when, every time he tried, Murr jumped off the bed, directed the same glare at him, and would only return to his post when Vanitas returned to his previous activity. They were now ignoring each other contentedly.

The sudden ennui was easily traced back to their last mission. It had been a week ago but it was fresh in his mind as though it had been mere moments before.

Dante had come in with a tip for them. Rumors of experimentation on vampires had been circulating in the medical field and it had finally grown to the point that the dhampirs had picked up on it. Noé remembered clearly how Vanitas's eyes had clouded over, no doubt reminiscing on something in his past. Even so, Vanitas had immediately announced they would investigate.

While Noé wasn't privy to Vanitas's memories he did remember all they had witnessed together in Moreau's lab and he had an inkling of what trauma lay beneath the relaxed demeanor. For once, Noé found he didn't want to go. He'd been worried what effect yet more medical horrors would have on Vanitas. The thought of him collapsing in a blind panic once again left him with a strange churning in his stomach.

Even so, they had persevered.

Unsurprisingly, things had gone badly. Oh, they had picked up some clues on Moreau's whereabouts and they had saved several vampires. It should have been enough. But Vanitas had been injured rather severely and Noé was forced to contemplate what he'd do if Vanitas really _did_ die. The sight of Vanitas clutching his bleeding side as he forced the book to manipulate their formula had been terrifying. What had been even more terrifying was that the scent of Vanitas's blood had all but overpowered him. He'd stopped seeing Vanitas as his ally in that moment, stopped seeing him as his … friend. He hadn't harmed Vanitas but he hadn't helped him either. He'd been frozen in place. _What am I becoming?_ The thought hadn't left him since.

Vanitas was recovering without any complications and Noé tried to relax. He was worried for him though. He worried for himself, too.

"You've been sitting there for twenty minutes and I have yet to see the pen move," Vanitas finally said from where he sat on the bed. The steady scraping sound as he sharpened his daggers paused. Noé could practically hear his eyes rolling.

"It's … harder than I thought it would be."

"Just write how you feel. You can toss it later if you need to."

 _How do I feel?_

The seconds ticked by and finally he scratched out _I'm tired._ He supposed that summed things up.

"That's it?" Vanitas said, his voice suddenly much closer to him than it had been previously. Noé jumped in surprise. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Humph, so much for the enhanced senses of vampires. Come now, what would you like to do? We've stumbled into some free time." He smirked teasingly at him from where he was gingerly leaning over the chair.

Noé frowned. "Don't make light of your injuries."

"I'll do what I please. Answer the question."

There was a lot Noé wanted to say about that. Things like "Doing what you please is how you nearly died," and "You're a human and a doctor; you need to stop making so many demands and think about your health for once." He didn't say anything. Vanitas's brow furrowed as he no doubt saw the visible restraint Noé was exercising in _not_ debating the issue. He took a deep breath and once again considered what it was he actually wanted. Vanitas arched a brow at him and tapped his gloves' nails against his shoulder impatiently.

"Tarte tatin."

They stared at one another very seriously for a split second before Vanitas suddenly burst out laughing. "Of course it's tarte tatin!"

"I don't see how it's that funny," Noé mumbled irritably as Vanitas doubled over, wheezing with how hard he was laughing.

"You've been in the worst mood for days now and the solution is that ridiculous dessert. I should have just taken you out to eat the second we got back." Neither of them mentioned that Noé had had to carry him home after Vanitas had passed out from blood loss and lunch hadn't really been an option. "Really, your being yourself is terrible for my ribs right now. Let's go."

Noé wanted to protest, to say that there was nothing funny about tarte tatin and the thought of Vanitas injuring himself further by laughing too hard was atrocious but Vanitas had been cooped up for days as well and had exited the room before he could say anything at all. Murr flicked his tail meaningfully before settling in for a nap.

So he traipsed after his partner to a nearby café, ordered his dessert, and got Vanitas a strong tea. Vanitas lazily stirred it while he watched as Noé tried to pace himself with his food. He finally took a sip when Noé looked at him questioningly.

"I've never seen you like this, you know," Vanitas finally said, his previous humor gone.

Noé looked away.

"Yes, like that. Where's that can-do spirit I'm used to? That dauntless willpower? That annoying cheer? That absurd sense of purpose? Your altogether terrible sense of humor?" He waived the spoon at him airily, clearly warming up to the subject. "If you're expecting me to pick up the slack you're sorely mistaken. I can't have you like this the next time we investigate something."

"How can you be like this?" Noé looked down at the crumbs on his plate, his lips slipping into a distinct frown. It was all that remained of the tarte tatin. He didn't remember finishing it off.

"I am acting like myself unlike someone else I could name."

"That's what I don't understand. You throw yourself into danger constantly without regard to your life. You ran ahead of me to face danger alone and when I got there—" _You'd been hurt and all I could think of was the scent in the air and that we'd never have another adventure together._

"When I got there, there was nothing I could do," he finished lamely. It was Vanitas's turn to frown.

"I seem to recall you did quite a bit. You got both of us out of there for one."

"Even so," Noé mumbled. He couldn't tell him about the desire for his blood. He knew how Vanitas felt about it and he couldn't even explain it to himself let alone another person. Would Dominique know what was happening? Was this something that vampires went through normally? But it had all started on that day he'd slept in….

He pushed the thought aside.

"I didn't want to see you hurt," Noé finally said. It wasn't quite the truth but it was as close as he dared come.

"I see," Vanitas said slowly. A myriad of emotions crossed his face. Noé wasn't sure what most of them were but he swore he saw a flash of disgust that left his heart hurting but Vanitas seemed to finally settle on exasperation and maybe something softer. Noé didn't trust himself to interpret it.

"If you're so worried, I suppose you'll just have to never leave my side. You said it, didn't you?" His tone was light but there was an unspoken question there that made Noé wonder how his silence had been interpreted.

"I'm staying with you, Vanitas," Noé repeated obligingly.

"I suppose you'll just have to do that then, won't you? Come now, be my shield, Noé!"

He rapped the side of his cup sharply with the edge of his spoon to draw the attention of a nearby waitress. Noé let the rude behavior go for the moment as he was caught up in his own thoughts. It didn't solve anything. Not really. But it did ease the heavy guilt on his conscience. Was it possible to make up for one mistake by ensuring there weren't more? Could he really protect Vanitas the way the man seemed so convinced he could? He marveled at how not so long ago he'd utterly declined being Vanitas's "shield" and seen it as an absurd proposition. Yet now he was prepared to take it on full time and had likely done so some time ago. The joke now seemed like a lifeline.

"Another tarte tatin. No, make it two. I have to see what it is that you're so obsessed with," he added as an aside to Noé. The waitress returned a few minutes later with the desserts in hand.

"You're having some?" Noé said in surprise. "You hate sweets!"

"Call it an experiment. Now eat up." Noé didn't need any encouragement. The second Vanitas took a bite, however, he recoiled.

"And the experiment is over. This is disgusting. Have another."

It was only after they'd gotten back to their room and settled in for the night, Noé wrapped tightly in his covers and Vanitas taking his evening watch on the roof before settling into his own bed, that Noé wondered if Vanitas had planned on giving him the other slice all along.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** This chapter is a little darker but I enjoyed exploring some of the more difficult things the two could go through. I might eventually expand on the mission referenced here in a separate story but for now I hope you all enjoyed. ^^


	6. Ice Skating

"I don't understand how you're immune to this," Vanitas grumbled.

"I'm used to it," Noé replied absently. Snow was falling thickly around them and had been for some time now. It was a beautiful sight although it made traversing difficult for the carriage they were situated in. He was far more absorbed in seeing the castle slowly approach as they moved forward. Noé had received another summons from his teacher this time asking him to return home for a short time. He hadn't specified why but that was par the course for him and Noé wasn't terribly concerned. Vanitas had disagreed.

 _"You're just going to do whatever he asks of you? He barely gave you any reason to go!"_

 _"He's my teacher. He wouldn't put me in danger."_

Vanitas had crossed his arms defiantly but hadn't said anymore on the subject. Noé had been left to wonder if he _would_ do anything his teacher asked of him. He so rarely saw the man anymore and he always asked so little…. What was the harm in obliging the one that had saved him from slavery?

He hadn't brought any of it up with Vanitas. Even though he wanted to understand Vanitas better he found he was reluctant to talk about his own personal tragedies. And even more so, he didn't want Vanitas to know about all that. He wasn't sure why. He had dismissed the ghost of shame that tried to settle in his stomach in favor of packing his things and making sure they had Murr in tow.

But they were now definitely at Averoigne now. The castle loomed over them as it always had. It was an enormous building but parts of it were crumbling here and there. Noé had been left in charge of the place but that had been an issue long before he'd ever arrived.

"Is this it?" Vanitas grumbled. He had yet to cease shivering. Noé knew the weather in Paris was milder than Averoigne but he was bundled up in multiple layers including Noé's coat. He really couldn't understand how he was still cold.

"It is," he replied. The carriage stilled and Noé jumped out of the side of it excitedly holding Murr firmly in his arms. Vanitas followed suit more slowly, reluctance evident in his every movement. Noé thanked the driver for getting them there. The man, whose name Noé hadn't ever caught, merely nodded tossed them their luggage, and began to slowly leave. Noé supposed he was headed for the village nearby.

"He was in an awful hurry. Can't say I blame him though. You know, considering this is your home it has quite a foreboding vibe." Vanitas's eyes traced the structure and surrounding area carefully, drinking in the details. "I don't think I like it."

"You've only just gotten here," Noé admonished.

"Where's your teacher?"

"He's … well, I don't know."

"Whatever. Let's get inside before we both turn into snowmen."

Once inside Noé promptly moved them from the excessively large foyer to the smaller but no less exquisite parlor. It was evident the place had been empty for several months with the thick coating of dust on everything. In fairness, Noé had never been much for cleaning either. Vanitas eyed the series of bookcases lining the walls and the barren fireplace. Murr gave him an accusatory look as he settled by said fireplace.

Noé knew exactly what they were thinking. "Just give me a second," he sighed in resignation.

After he'd gotten the fire going Vanitas seemed to relax ever so slightly and Murr went promptly to sleep.

Vanitas slumped onto the couch and finally removed Noé's coat though his own was still present. Noé considered telling him that while Vanitas's own coat was stylish it really wasn't designed for keeping the cold out whatsoever and maybe if he got a new one he wouldn't feel the need to take Noé's. A conversation for another time he supposed. Instead, he sat next to Vanitas and gazed into the crackling fire. He'd forgotten how lonely this place could feel.

"So, you spent most of your time here then?" Vanitas finally said.

"Yes, after Teacher brought me here this is where I stayed. I only left when he asked me to find the Book of Vanitas in Paris."

Vanitas hummed softly. "How did you pass the time? This place doesn't seem like it would suit you at all. It's so … cold."

"I got the fire going," Noé said indignantly.

"I didn't mean it like that."

Noé shifted uncomfortably. This was starting to approach personal territory that he wasn't very comfortable with. "Sometimes Domi would visit. My teacher would on occasion as well, usually so he could train me or get a few things before heading back out."

"That's it? And you never left?" Vanitas stretched his fingers, seeming to test whether feeling had returned to them at last. Then he leaned against Noé, his head resting on his shoulder. Noé stiffened minutely. Vanitas really was freezing.

"I didn't leave," he finally said. Louis being a constant at his side flashed before him. For a time he had never been lonely because he'd always had someone to talk to. Along with that came the memory of just what had happened to the neighboring children when Mina and Louis had lost control. Needless to say, Noé hadn't been welcome in the village ever since. He hadn't done anything but he was associated with the place that had brought so much despair to so many families. Noé hadn't been offended. He hadn't wanted to see the village either.

"I see." Vanitas mulled that over briefly before he shifted to get a better look at Noé's face.

"I don't like that look on you."

"I always look like this," Noé replied automatically.

"No, you don't." Noé couldn't see it but he could hear the smile in Vanitas's voice.

"There's something you're not telling me."

That much was absolutely true. While he was resisting telling Vanitas about Louis another part of him wanted it off his chest. Maybe he could manage the basics?

"For a while, Domi's brother, Louis, lived here with me and Teacher. The castle was nicer back then."

"I'm sorry."

Noé looked down at him, startled.

"You don't have to say it. I know what that face means, Noé." Vanitas was looking straight at the flames flickering before them. They reflected eerily in his eyes. A contemplative silence filled the room for a time. It was … nice. He and Vanitas hadn't had many silences in their time working together. They both preferred a good debate or lively conversation. _Maybe we're both just difficult people,_ Noé considered. He rested his head against Vanitas's who was, thankfully, not as cold as an icicle anymore. His hair was also extremely soft.

Even though he hadn't told Vanitas what had happened at the castle, not really, he found that he felt better all the same. His eyes were just beginning to slip shut when Vanitas gave a sudden start. And then he stood up hastily leaving Noé to blink after him in confusion.

"Well, enough of all that, Noé. You haven't shown me anything in this place and we still don't know why we're here. Come on now; we're wasting daylight." Vanitas was turned toward the door but Noé thought he saw a faint flush staining his cheeks. Maybe he'd gotten too warm? Either way, Noé was a little annoyed that his nap had been interrupted so suddenly.

"All right," he said grudgingly. Noé double checked to make sure Murr was still there. The cat in question was still resting beside the fire and seemed to have no intention of leaving.

"I'll just get Murr some food and water and then we can look around."

"Excellent."

With that taken care of Noé finally began the grand tour. Now that Vanitas wasn't completely frustrated by the weather he seemed keen to take the place in. Noé was a little surprised by it. He had always made it apparent that he was interested in Vanitas's past but now he wondered if Vanitas had held a similar curiosity about his own.

"Your teacher has an incredible collection of books. It just seems to keep going," Vanitas remarked.

"Yes, he used to read to me from some of them when I was younger."

Vanitas gave him a bemused look. "Your stories of the man are rather different from how other vampires talk about him."

"I had no idea he had such a reputation until we met Lord Ruthven," Noé admitted sheepishly. "But it's true that he's an utter eccentric who can shift moods suddenly and can be quite demanding."

"What did he teach you exactly?" Vanitas was obviously trying to feign neutrality about the subject and failing. Noé bit back a chuckle.

"Lots of things," he finally said. "He taught me about vampire history and society although I've begun to realize I'm not as well informed on the subjects as I'd thought." It bothered him if he were honest. Vanitas knew more about both subjects than he did. Vanitas nodded absently.

"But mostly he taught me self-defense and about the world formula. And about blood." He flushed. He hadn't meant to get into that subject.

"Blood?" It figured that Vanitas would latch onto the one subject he didn't want to discuss.

"Yes. My … abilities are different from most vampires as you know. Because I'm an Archiviste," he mumbled name. Vanitas raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't know anything about it when I was younger. My teacher had to explain it to me. It … changed a lot for me, I suppose you could say."

"I suppose it would," Vanitas said blandly. Noé looked away. He knew there was something about the subject Vanitas didn't like but he had no idea what it was.

"At any rate, he explained it to me. How blood works and how different vampires view it. That's all."

"And he taught you to fight?" Noé nodded, grateful for the shift in topic.

"He was a brutal teacher at times. He didn't allow for many mistakes. But it's proven to be useful so I can't complain. The hardest things he taught were related to the formula. I'm still not very good at it."

They paused in their walk through the castle for a moment. Vanitas was eyeing the ballroom with interest.

"It never got much use," Noé answered the unspoken question.

"Is that a hole in the ceiling?"

"Oh, yes, I suppose so," Noé laughed. "Teacher is an eccentric, remember?"

Snow was falling gently through and had made a small pile in one of the corners. Thankfully the hole wasn't terribly large. Noé supposed they could fix it easily enough if either he or Teacher ever got to it. The marble floor looked well and truly frozen over at the moment.

Vanitas hesitated before taking a ginger step inside. He'd obviously noticed the sheet of ice.

Cold sunlight filtered through the large, curved windows that decorated the walls. They were enormous and made it feel more like you were outside as opposed to inside. The ceiling went sweeping upwards into a dome and was ornately carved. Noé had liked sneaking off into this room. There was something almost otherworldly about it. That and Louis had insisted he learn to dance and had dragged both of them off to do so on more than one occasion. Louis had truly enjoyed dancing. That and reading. Domi had enjoyed the room as well of course but she had vastly preferred the outdoors for its flowers and open air.

Noé felt a wisp of nostalgia threatening to take him. Seeing Vanitas standing there now was strange but something about it was also right. He wondered if the two would have gotten along.

"A pity the weather has taken this room for its own. We could have used it." Noé hadn't expected that.

"You wanted to dance?" Vanitas shrugged nonchalantly. He was impossible for Noé to read at times.

"Then maybe … we could ice skate instead?"

Vanitas snorted disbelievingly. "That seems unnecessarily dangerous." He had yet to leave the room though. Noé took a careful step through the door and extended his hand.

Vanitas huffed irritably but there was a pleased grin threatening to make itself known. Noé relaxed. This had been the right decision. Vanitas took his hand.

Neither of them was particularly graceful in their steps. It took a while to sort out how to adjust the dance steps into something a little more sweeping as was appropriate for skating. They nearly fell over several times but at long last they got things in working order.

"You know, I don't think your teacher is going to show up," Vanitas finally said. He was still carefully watching their feet apparently not yet trusting in their balance.

"I've considered that as well," Noé sighed. "To be honest, I'm not sure why he wanted me to come here."

"What did he say, exactly?"

"Just that there was something unexpected waiting for me here. A surprise. I'm not sure what he meant."

Vanitas finally looked up. "A surprise?"

"Yes. He didn't give any clarifying details, if that's what you mean."

Vanitas's brow scrunched together at that. He seemed to have thought of something.

"What's wrong?"

"Has there … always been a hole in the ceiling?"

"Hmm," Noé considered this. It had been some time since he'd last been in this room. "Not the last time I used it. That was several years ago though."

"And what did he say about me?"

"Just that I should bring you. It wasn't a long letter."

Vanitas's frown deepened and his step faltered. Noé hastily adjusted his own balance to keep them from falling.

"Your teacher is … an odd man."

"Yes." Noé's confusion was only deepening.

"It's a little strange an entire floor would freeze over."

"I … what are you getting at?"

"Something entirely absurd," Vanitas mumbled. "How long are we staying?"

"I think we should wait for the storm to be over before we head back to Paris. That will give Teacher a little more time to arrive if he intends to and the roads will be safer that way as well."

Vanitas merely nodded, still looking troubled. They had stopped skating although merely standing upright took a little concentration. They were also quite far from the door. Noé was just planning on how to get their momentum up to reach it safely when he saw Murr poke his head through the doorway. He looked immensely irritated. And then he began to walk toward them

"Oh, Murr don't do that!" Noé called. Vanitas looked over in surprise. The second Murr took a step he lost his balance and went sliding toward them at a faster speed than Noé thought possible. He howled in terror. Noé tried to reach down to catch him, forgetting that he was still holding Vanitas about the waist. Needless to say, not only did he not catch Murr but he managed to knock both himself and Vanitas over. Vanitas took the brunt of the fall landing flat on his back followed by Noé falling flat on top of him.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" Vanitas sputtered indignantly after he'd caught his breath. Noé's hands and knees burned angrily from the impact. He suspected Vanitas's head was in worse shape though. Carefully, he lifted himself off his partner and looked around for Murr from where he was hunched over Vanitas. He seemed to be all right; he'd landed in the snow pile, which seemed to spare him any serious injury. He let out a sigh of relief. And then immediately felt a little guilty at the glare Vanitas was throwing at him. If looks could kill…

"You're worried about the cat?!"

"He's smaller than we are," Noé protested.

"Exactly! He's fine! What about—" Vanitas cut himself off and pushed Noé away in annoyance. "Whatever. Let's just get out of here."

"Vanitas—"

"What?" he bit out.

"I'm sorry we fell over. Let me take a look." He gestured toward where Vanitas was rubbing the back of his head. Vanitas looked like he was about to object once more but something in Noé's face must have convinced him of his sincerity because he relented.

"Fine," he glared over at Murr who, somehow, managed to look satisfied despite looking just as grumpy as usual. "Your cat is a demon."

Noé let out a soft laugh. "He gives me endless trouble, it's true." He was glad they were both still sitting. Noé wasn't sure he was feeling steady enough to get back on his feet just yet. He slid over to Vanitas and carefully parted his hair in search of any serious injury.

He let out a sigh of relief. "It looks like it's just a minor bruise. You should be fine. Let's get some ice on it just in case though…."

"I think I've had more than my fair share of ice," Vanitas grumbled.

"It was nice though," Noé said thoughtfully, still fiddling with Vanitas's hair. He wondered how much work it took to maintain its style.

"Hmm?"

"Ice skating. We should do it again sometime."

"Maybe," he said neutrally, "if that cat doesn't come with."

"Agreed," Noé chuckled. "But how are we going to get out of here," he wondered aloud.

"I'll leave that for you to figure out," Vanitas sighed. "I think I've had enough adventure for today."

"You're no fun at all sometimes."

"So have you thought of anything?" Vanitas grumbled.

"I think we should just slide over to the door."

Vanitas let out short laugh. "Utterly graceless, wouldn't you say?"

"At least we'll be the only ones to see it," Noé shrugged.

When they finally got back to the parlor Vanitas flopped onto the couch. Murr settled back by the fire. Night had finally fallen. Had they really been exploring for that long?

"Maybe we should head for the bedrooms instead," Noé considered.

"The bedrooms?" Vanitas raised his head. "I was starting to think there weren't any."

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course there are."

"I think I'd like to see mine then. I'm tired."

"So am I," Noé admitted.

As soon as he'd gotten Vanitas situated in one of the guest rooms (there were several but he ultimately picked one that was relatively close to his own room in case he needed anything) he fell promptly asleep. He didn't even bother to get under the covers first.

It was a large bed so Noé just folded the blankets over him and the problem was solved.

He paused after he did so. This was the first time he'd ever seen Vanitas's sleeping face he realized. He'd tried once before and it had resulted in utter failure. He took a moment to take it in. He supposed it was much like anyone else's but to see Vanitas looking so serene was strange.

What an odd day.

Murr slunk around his feet.

"I guess it's time for us to retire for the day as well." He picked Murr up, ignoring how he wriggled ferociously and headed for his own room.

Once he was in his pajamas and under his covers he allowed himself to wonder just what his teacher _had_ meant by there being a surprise here. Certainly nothing had been out of place and there weren't any unknown objects lying around. Teacher hadn't even been here. But there had been surprises. Little ones involving his company. Noé's brow furrowed. There was no way his teacher could have planned anything like that.

Right?

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** This prompt proved to be a lot of fun. I definitely took some liberties with how Noé's home is set up but I figure it's supposed to be a grand place and I went with it.


	7. Rooftop Dance

"Home sweet home."

Vanitas heaved a sigh of relief as he dropped his luggage by the end of his bed. He immediately began to strip himself of his scarf and extra sweater, folding them carefully into the dresser. Murr dashed ahead of Noé and made it to the armchair by the window. Finally Noé stepped in himself.

"I'm glad to be back as well," Noé acknowledged as he set his hat aside on the desk before settling on the side of his own bed.

They'd finally returned home after their extended stay at Averoigne. After Vanitas had explored every nook and cranny of the castle things had been uneventful. Noé had passed the time doing what he usually did while he was on the castle grounds: read and train. The reading had bored Vanitas enormously but he had seemed to enjoy observing the training. He'd made a point of asking him about every formula he employed and what martial arts styles he was familiar with.

It had left Noé feeling pleased for reasons he couldn't fully understand. What did it matter if Vanitas was impressed with his fighting style or not? He'd already known Vanitas thought that; it had been what had drawn Vanitas to him in the first place.

He had been gratified to find that it didn't feel like Vanitas was sizing him up as a bodyguard anymore but was genuinely interested in what Noé was doing though. Was that the difference?

"What do you plan to do now?" Vanitas asked as he settled himself in the chair across from Noé. It surprised him; he'd expected Vanitas to go straight to bed. While Vanitas was prone to staying up for prolonged periods of time, he truly hadn't gotten much rest even for him while they'd been in Averoigne. Idly he noticed that Vanitas had removed his coat. He wasn't sure of the last time he'd seen him without it. He looked strangely thin and vulnerable without its billowing sleeves. Perhaps he had tired of wearing so many layers.

"I'm not sure," Noé admitted. "I still don't know why Teacher wanted us to go home. He does things like that on occasion. I figure after we rest a bit we'll go back to saving vampires."

"Quite right. However, I figure I should ask you more about what that teacher of yours taught you. It seems like a rather specific set of skills."

Noé didn't miss the slightly suspicious tone of voice Vanitas had when he said there. But if Vanitas wanted to know more about what Teacher had taught him Noé really didn't have any objections. In fact…

"Perhaps I could teach you?" Noé offered hesitantly. He was fully aware that Vanitas already knew how to fight but despite that Vanitas was still all too willing to put himself directly in the line of fire against opponents he couldn't possibly win against.

"Ohh?" Vanitas drawled out with a smirk. "You'll fight me?"

"Train you," Noé clarified with only the barest flicker of annoyance. "We're always going up against vampires. It could be useful. You'll also see exactly what my teacher taught me that way."

Vanitas was silent, his eyes growing distant. A small frown situated itself on his face. "You know the chasseurs already trained me to fight against vampires."

"I know."

"One of the reasons I keep you around is because I don't have a hope against a vampire one-on-one. I don't have access to that drug anymore."

"I know that, too." Noé hesitated. He'd never considered Vanitas taking the same drugs as the chasseurs. Something about it made Vanitas hunting vampires in the past as opposed to saving them much more real than it ever did before. Shaking it off he continued, "But having more experience fighting against someone stronger than you," Vanitas's eye twitched at the insinuation, "can only be a useful thing. That way if you're fighting against a vampire there will be time for me to get to you."

Vanitas took in a deep breath and finally stood up. He stretched out his back briefly and Noé could hear soft pops as everything was realigned. He really needed to correct his posture more often. There was a twist of displeasure to Vanitas's face.

"What's wrong?"

A more familiar annoyed look appeared. "Nothing. I think I'll take you up on your offer. When do we start?"

"We could start right now," Noé shook off the sliver of doubt hanging in the air and focused on what could prove to be a good time.

"You're always full of surprises," Vanitas chuckled. A sudden warmth filled Noé's chest.

"Let's head onto the rooftop. This room surely won't have enough space."

Noé followed him obediently and took in the sights. Paris looked much the same as it always did but it was a clear day though it was quickly approaching evening.

"I suppose having a practice duel on a rooftop would only make sense for us," Vanitas continued, chuckling. "Let's have at it then! What will we start with?"

At this Noé floundered. He hadn't thought this far ahead. He teacher had been a difficult sort and would knock him with his cane if he got anything wrong. He also wasn't afraid to defeat Noé entirely. Noé found this wasn't the approach he wanted to take with Vanitas. Vanitas was human, for one, but the thought of seriously hurting him was also just … unpleasant. Vanitas crossed his arms impatiently.

"What would you say has given you trouble in the past?" Noé asked instead.

"What doesn't give me trouble? Your people just keep going about making foolish decisions and refuse any kind of sensible help."

"Let's start with dodging," Noé replied back. Getting a chance to chase Vanitas around was starting to sound a little more appealing.

"Dodging? I can do that just fi—" He cut himself off suddenly as Noé charged. Vanitas barely dodged in time.

"Good," Noé said. "But you need to be more prepared for sudden attacks. Many vampires will alter the formula to increase speed like I did just now."

Vanitas glared at him but settled into a more battle-ready stance. "You've got a lot of nerve," he muttered. "Am I to just dodge everything you hurl at me? No retaliation?"

"If you can find time to retaliate you're welcome to." Noé couldn't help the small smirk that settled on his lips. Now Vanitas was starting to look downright angry but he clenched his teeth into a forced grin.

"Then let's continue."

Noé charged once more, this time preparing a punch as well. Vanitas was better prepared and his reaction time was smoother but he still had a hard time getting out of the way. They continued like that with Vanitas getting marginally increasing in skill each time. Had Noé been paying proper attention he may have noticed that Vanitas was adjusting a little _too_ easily.

Instead, Noé felt himself beginning to relax. This was actually quite a bit more fun than he'd anticipated. Messing with the world formula was always difficult but Vanitas was giving him a good opportunity to fine tune it without being in serious danger. Perhaps this kind of training would be good for him too; he hadn't realized he'd needed a sparring partner. He'd have to mention that to Vanitas later.

They continued their rooftop dance for a while longer with Noé making faux swings at him and Vanitas dodging every which way.

Vanitas started to breathe heavily after some time. His breaths were small, gasping things. Noé frowned. Should they stop?

Then Vanitas slipped on the tilted roof. Noé felt a spike of true concern and he rushed forward.

"Vanitas, are you all ri—"

Vanitas noticed his hesitation and immediately corrected his stance. He let out a wild grin and flung himself at his opponent. Startled, Noé could only manage a single step backwards before the full weight of Vanitas landed on him and they toppled over awkwardly. The tiles of the roof dug into his back and he was suddenly aware of how cool the air was and how the blue of the sky was slipping away to inky darkness. He felt the cool steel of a dagger being pressed against his throat.

"Finally," Vanitas huffed. "Even in training your weakness is still the same." Noé eyed the dagger carefully. "My weakness?" He noted that Vanitas's breathing had evened out suspiciously fast.

"You're too gentle. If you think you're fighting someone weak you'll hold back just like you did now." Vanitas pushed the dagger against his throat a little harder. It wasn't drawing blood but it was uncomfortable. Noé eyed it briefly before resuming eye contact with his partner.

"But if you let your presuppositions get in the way even a weak person like me will overpower you." Vanitas removed the dagger smoothly. His eyes were hard and unforgiving.

"I thought I was the one who was supposed to be training you," Noé said. He was faintly annoyed that Vanitas had somehow turned this around. "You said you wanted to learn what Teacher had taught me."

He let out a barking laugh. "As if I'm just going to let you treat me the way a cat treats a mouse. Don't insult me."

"I wasn't doing that," Noé frowned. Vanitas was still sitting on him and it was starting to make his own breathing difficult. He was heavier than he looked. It didn't help that Vanitas was idly twirling his dagger around. Hopefully he wasn't planning on using it again. Noé might be capable of overpowering Vanitas in this situation but that didn't mean he would and Vanitas wasn't as restrained as he was. Perhaps Vanitas had a point about him.

"Of course you weren't. You and your bleeding heart," Vanitas flicked his forehead with the hand that wasn't currently holding a weapon, mild disgust written all over his face. Noé glared back.

"If you didn't want to you could have just said so. It was your idea." A fun idea in Noé's opinion but it wasn't worth getting the full force of Vanitas's ire. Noé found Vanitas's irritation amusing but this wasn't quite the same.

Vanitas's features smoothed out into something more pensive. His gaze met Noé's once more. He wondered just what Vanitas was thinking in that moment for him to calm down so swiftly. Vanitas finally sheathed his dagger and let out a heavy sigh.

"It wasn't a bad idea either." He didn't say anything else but he did stand up at long last. He truly bewildered Noé when he wanted to.

"Then what's the problem?" Noé slowly stood up himself and began a series of stretches. He wasn't winded exactly but there had been such a heavy aura there that he felt the need regardless.

"The problem is your motivation."

"I want to help you."

"Yes, the way you'd help someone who is _weak._ I haven't forgotten what you said before."

Was that truly what the problem was? That had been quite some time ago and Noé had said that in a moment of anger; he'd been outraged that Vanitas never took any precautions to ensure his own safety. But he knew that Vanitas was talented with the world formula, which was unheard of for a human. He knew that Vanitas could do things he could only hope to do, namely saving vampires. Noé's brow furrowed. It didn't seem like that was what Vanitas meant though.

"I don't follow," he admitted.

Now Vanitas was just exasperated. He sat down and gazed upon the familiar landscape of Paris.

"You think that just because I'm a human I can't possibly defend myself. I was trained by the chasseurs to fight against opponents who are stronger than me, specifically vampires." He stressed _vampires_ with a pointed glance at Noé. "We won the war, Noé. We must be doing something right."

Noé was about to unleash an angry retort that war was never justified and never proved anyone "right" but reigned himself in at the last second. Now Vanitas was just goading him. Instead he took a seat next to him. He saw Vanitas's eyes widen in surprise.

"You're right," Noé admitted. "I wasn't considering that you are already quite skilled." He remembered Vanitas's bluff and the way he had twisted himself in graceful arcs to avoid Noé's attacks. He had pushed Noé further than he had anticipated.

"Oh? Trying to sweet talk me now, are you?" Noé smiled in response to the familiar teasing tone.

"It's true though. You do some amazing things. Perhaps," Noé reached for the correct words. "Perhaps you would train _with_ me instead?"

"Hmm." Noé couldn't make out Vanitas's facial expression as his bangs were covering it up but he sensed that his words had pleased him. "I'd gladly take you up on that."

A comfortable silence enveloped them then. It occurred to Noé that if he had been sweet talking Vanitas he must have been successful. Vanitas's face was unmarred by anger, irritation, or that manic joy he sometimes indulged in. He looked almost … peaceful. Noé couldn't think of a time he'd ever seen Vanitas look quite like that before. Night had fallen and the moon peaked out from behind a cloud. It highlighted Vanitas's features in an almost ethereal light. He took a swift intake of breath. He'd never considered it before, but it dawned on him that visually Vanitas was as lovely as the scent his blood emanated. Noé forced himself to look away, uncomfortable with the knowledge sneaking up on him.

"I wonder what the denizens of Paris made of all that," Vanitas finally said.

"Maybe we were too high for them to notice?" He wanted to ask Vanitas what his feeling meant. He hesitated though. There was something about it that felt like it shouldn't be disclosed so readily. It felt an awful lot like how people had described…

"Maybe," Vanitas conceded. "I don't think I mind either way."

"Neither do I." They were silent for a moment.

"But you were right," Noé suddenly continued.

"Hmm?"

"Exercise was an excellent prescription. And I really am getting a lot with you." Noé smiled.

"You remember that, do you?"

"I do."

"I'll get us some breakfast then."

"Vanitas, it's nighttime. We haven't even gone to bed."

Vanitas smirked. "I'll make sure to bring the tea as well then. Don't worry; there will be more come the morning. Have you been sleeping better then? I haven't noticed quite as much tossing and turning."

Which was to say it had decreased only marginally. Noé would never be restful sleeper. Even so, things had improved somewhat. He didn't contemplate how he lost Louis quite as often as he once had.

"It's improved," Noé confirmed.

"Good. I'll be right back."

As Vanitas stood up Noé decided that he didn't really want to keep things to himself. Who better to ask what it meant than the person it was directed at?

"Vanitas, I think I—" He stopped. But what was he trying to say? Straightforwardly asking Vanitas questions tended to have mixed results and if he was right about what he was feeling…. Vanitas was looking at him expectantly now from where he'd been about to slide through the window and Noé remembered a dance they'd had long ago and a conversation he couldn't begin to understand.

 _I can't tell him._ Noé wasn't even sure if he'd reached the right conclusion or not. He hadn't been feeling like himself on several occasions already.

"What? Out with it already."

"I think I … don't dislike you."

Vanitas gave him a flat look. Then his lips curled and he was laughing like a madman once more.

"You truly say the strangest things. That's it?" But there was something forlorn in the statement and Noé was even more lost than before.

"I—yes. We should do this again soon," he mumbled.

Vanitas nodded but said nothing more as he went to raid the kitchen.

They spent the rest of the evening talking quietly and partaking in their "breakfast." Vanitas laughed at several things Noé said throughout and offered all kinds of questionable advice. The scent of baked bread was heavy in the air. Warmth spread in Noé's chest and he vowed to investigate the feeling more fully as time went on. Someday he would know what it was beyond a shadow of doubt.

And on that day he promised he would let Vanitas know his findings.


End file.
